Killer Angels
The Killer Angels is a story about the Battle of Gettysburg. The Confederate Army and the Union Army fought in the largest battle in the American Civil War. As the battle ended, 51,000 men were left dead, wounded, or missing.
Michael Shaara begins this novel on the date of June 29, 1863 when a spy gives info to Genral James Longstreet that he has spotted the Union Army andvancing toward them. This surprises Longstreet becase General J. E. B. Stuart was sent to track the army with his calvary. Longstreet, beleiving that Stuart was joy riding, became very supspiciuos. He feels that moving the Confederates north will intercept the Union. So they head southeast through the mountains, and toward a town named Gettysburg.
Meanwhile, far south of Gettysburg, Colonel Joshua L. Chamberlain of the Union wakes to find that his army has 100 new members. These members are mutineers from the 2nd Maine. Chamberlain gives them a speech asking them to continue fighting and all but six join freely.
Back in Gettysburg, Union Calvery General Jonh Buford rides in town and notices the Confederates nearby. He then realizes that the two armies may meet and fight in this town. Knowing that having higher ground is the key to winning, he places his two brigades of about 2,000 men along the hills in the area.
On July 1, Lee awakes, cursing Stuarts absent beacuse without him the army is blind, and has no idea of the location of the Union Army. He talks with Longstreet, who wants to move southeast and end up between the Union army and Washington, D.C. Then says the Confederates can use defensive scheemes and have a much better chance of winning. Wanting to smash the Union in one aggrassive, decisive stroke, Lee refuses.
The Confederates attack Buford's army at Gettysburg, and the battle begins. The confederates are held off until ifantry General John Reynolds arrives. Reynolds troops are positioned to fight the Confederates off but he is soon killed. Later, Lee arrives at Gettysburg to find the battle in full fury. Two more Confederate generals send word that they have began to fight with the Union, who are swarming from the south, head north to Gettysburg.
As the battle rages on, it ends with the Confederates retreating to end this bloody, spectactular fight.
America, at this time, was very devided. It amazes me the loyalty that is expressed in this story. Kilrain to Chamberlain; Goree and Sorrel to Longstreet; and most of all, the entire Confederate army is fiercely loyal to Robert E. Lee.
But loyalty can be decieving, as Longstreet learns. He cannot bring himself to ask his fellow officers to turn against Lee, knowing the other officers and soldiers would never follow him instead. But he cannot refuse to lead the charge because he is stuck by his loyalty to Lee and to Virginia. Loyalty has helped bring many of the Confederacy’s victories, but at Gettysburg it is the cause of a loss.
Another aspect of this battle was the way soldiers on opposing sides had to picture their enemies as worthless animals in order to kill without guilt. Often did they tend to demonize one another. But, in this story, they're are few examples of demonizing or hatred. This was clearly a battle between gentlemen. However, this could be because this novel focuses promarily on men of the upper class; colonels and generals, no privates or sergeants.
Needless to say, this story is a constant reminder of the concrete lines The Civil War drew between the Amercians.
The Killer Angels is a story about the Battle of Gettysburg. The Confederate Army and the Union Army fought in the largest battle in the American Civil War. As the battle ended, 51,000 men were left dead, wounded, or missing.
Michael Shaara begins this novel on the date of June 29, 1863 when a spy gives info to Genral James Longstreet that he has spotted the Union Army andvancing toward them. This surprises Longstreet becase General J. E. B. Stuart was sent to track the army with his calvary. Longstreet, beleiving that Stuart was joy riding, became very supspiciuos. He feels that moving the Confederates north will intercept the Union. So they head southeast through the mountains, and toward a town named Gettysburg.
Meanwhile, far south of Gettysburg, Colonel Joshua L. Chamberlain of the Union wakes to find that his army has 100 new members. These members are mutineers from the 2nd Maine. Chamberlain gives them a speech asking them to continue fighting and all but six join freely.
Back in Gettysburg, Union Calvery General Jonh Buford rides in town and notices the Confederates nearby. He then realizes that the two armies may meet and fight in this town. Knowing that having higher ground is the key to winning, he places his two brigades of about 2,000 men along the hills in the area.
On July 1, Lee awakes, cursing Stuarts absent beacuse without him the army is blind, and has no idea of the location of the Union Army. He talks with Longstreet, who wants to move southeast and end up between the Union army and Washington, D.C. Then says the Confederates can use defensive scheemes and have a much better chance of winning. Wanting to smash the Union in one aggrassive, decisive stroke, Lee refuses.
The Confederates attack Buford's army at Gettysburg, and the battle begins. The confederates are held off until ifantry General John Reynolds arrives. Reynolds troops are positioned to fight the Confederates off but he is soon killed. Later, Lee arrives at Gettysburg to find the battle in full fury. Two more Confederate generals send word that they have began to fight with the Union, who are swarming from the south, head north to Gettysburg.
As the battle rages on, it ends with the Confederates retreating to end this bloody, spectactular fight.
America, at this time, was very devided. It amazes me the loyalty that is expressed in this story. Kilrain to Chamberlain; Goree and Sorrel to Longstreet; and most of all, the entire Confederate army is fiercely loyal to Robert E. Lee.
But loyalty can be decieving, as Longstreet learns. He cannot bring himself to ask his fellow officers to turn against Lee, knowing the other officers and soldiers would never follow him instead. But he cannot refuse to lead the charge because he is stuck by his loyalty to Lee and to Virginia. Loyalty has helped bring many of the Confederacy’s victories, but at Gettysburg it is the cause of a loss.
Another aspect of this battle was the way soldiers on opposing sides had to picture their enemies as worthless animals in order to kill without guilt. Often did they tend to demonize one another. But, in this story, they're are few examples of demonizing or hatred. This was clearly a battle between gentlemen. However, this could be because this novel focuses promarily on men of the upper class; colonels and generals, no privates or sergeants.
Needless to say, this story is a constant reminder of the concrete lines The Civil War drew between the Amercians.